Re: Digging bearded iris

In a message dated 96-07-07 20:59:28 EDT, you write:
>How long can bearded irises remain out of the ground
>after digging before there are adverse effects? Assuming cool(~75 degrees
>F, this is cool in the Southern U. S. summers!), dry, indoor storage
>conditions
I confess that I have a couple times had irises out of the ground over two
months without losses....the problem is they must get good roots started
before it gets cold...so if they are planted in late fall they will probably
not bloom next year and will be susceptible to rot if winter and spring are
wet. For the old diploids, one can leave them out of ground a long time. I
once had bucket of I. florentine rhizomes in a bucket which I forgot
about...actually they were just the tiny rhizomes and little pieces left over
after I planted the nice big rhizomes....were in garage all winter...in
spring I found them, many of which were putting out new foliage. I planted
them an all grew.
Clarence Mahan in VA.who believes that those who cannot grow BEFORE THE STORM
should switch to some other perennial....bearded irises is not their forte.